Pin retainer latch for fair-leaders



Nov. 14, 1944. K BERGER PIN RETAINER LATCH Fox FAIRLEADERS Filed Jan. 18, 194:5

JUNI l ya INV ENTOR J HWUTEBEeGfe ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1944 UNITED PIN RETAINER LATCH FOR FAIR-LEADERS 'Knute Berger, Seattle, Wash. Application January 18, 1943, Serial No. 472,663

,6 Claims.

This invenJtion relates to pin or key latches and has reference more particularly to means whereby a pin, key, or shaft as mounted in a frame, for example, as a retainer, or as a mounting for a wheel axle or lever, may be secured against accidental displacement from its mounting or support; it being the principal object of this invention to provide a combination of Ipin and manually releasable latch that is practical and 4positive in its intended use, and which permits of easy and quick release for withdrawal of the pin as required for the removal ofthe mem-ber mounted or fixed in place thereby.

Specically stated, the objects of the present invention reside in the novel details of construction of a pin and a manually releasable latch therefor that is designed for use in conjunction with fairleaders of that kind disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,805,800, and also iairleaders as shown in my copending application for patent filed on even date herewith under Serial No. 472,664.

Other objects of the present invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts and in their combination as hereinafter described.

In accomplishing these and-other objects of the invention,'I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated inY the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of a fair-leader with which a pin and a pin locking and retainer means em.

bodied by this invention is employed; parts ybeing shown in section for better illustration.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the fairleader with the pin withdrawn.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional detail in the horizontal plane of line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 in Fig. l, showing the latch stop and button.

Fig, 5 is a perspective view of the laitch plate.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pin.

Referring more in detail to the drawing- In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a fairleader of the type disclosed in my U. S. patent above mentioned, and embodying certain parts like those of the aforementioned copending application. This device comprises a swivel frame, or housing I having a cylindrical mounting hub portion 2 that is rotatably mounted in a rigid support or base structure 3 by sets of anti-friction bearings 4, so that the swivel housing I may rotate pivotally about the axial line ofits hub, thus to provide for self-alinement of the sheave and cable as presently understood. Integral with the hub 2, as a part of the swivel housing, are side walls 5 and 5' disposed in spaced, parallel planes [that are at opposite sides of and parallel with the axis of the hub, and .between whichwalls, a sheave wheel 6 is rotatably mounted on a pivot .bolt 1, and a cable 8 is extended longitudinally through the tubular hub 2 and passes downwardly over the sheave as illustrated.

, It is desirable, in this` device, that the pull of the cable, as applied in its passing down from the sheave, be eccentric oi the hub axis, thereby to insure the pivotal action for the automatic, selfalinement of the sheave with the cable. There-l fore, in this disclosure, I have provided a guide roller 9, revoluble on a tubular axle I0 that is carried at one end of a swing frame II. This frame is located between the side walls of the swivel frame and is pivotally mounted at the other end on a pivot bolt I2 extended through the frame walls. To retain the guide roller in proper functional relationship with the cable where it passes over the sheave wheel, I have provided the present locking pin I3 that is extended through openings I4 in the walls of the swivel housing and through the` tubular axle I0 as best shown in Fig. 3.

It will `be` explained that it is desirable that this pin be removable from the axlein order to free the swing frame and thus permit the guide roller to be adjusted away from sheave wheel 6 as is desirable for threading the cable through the device; thisadjustment being indicated in Figrl by the dotted line showing of the swing frame in its upper position.

By reference more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be understood that the pin I3 is round in cross section and is of uniform diameter throughout its length, so that it may be iitted within and slipped into or from the openings of the housing walls and through the tubular axle, and may also be rotated therein. At .one end, hereinafter designated as its outer end, the pin is formed with a loop handle I3', and adjacent this, it is formed with a square-cut, circumferential channel I5. Also, the pin is provided with a longitudinal channel I6 which extends from near the inner end of the pin to the channel I5 and opens into the latter as shown in Fig. 6.

Fixed on the wall 5 at the outside and adjacent the opening I4 provided therein for the reception of the pin, is a latch plate, or casting 20, held secure by bolts 2 I-2I that are threaded into the wall plate 5. Extending laterally from this plate 20is an arm` 22 that terminates in a square ended key 23 that overlaps the wall opening I4 to a slight extent, as indicated in Fig. 5. This key, at

its end, is of such dimensions that it may be received in the pin channels I and I6, and due to its being extended slightly across the periphery of the wall opening I4, it becomes necessary in applying the pin to the housing, that the pin be first inserted, then the latch plate is applied to the wall 5 with the key registered in the channel I5 or channel I6, and then secured by its bolts 2|. Pushing the pin inwardly to its full extent brings the key 23, into the circumferential channel I5 and then, by rotating the pin, the channel I6 will be moved out of registration with the key and the latter will then act as a retainer whereby the pin is held against being pulled out from the wall plate 5.

It is desirable, therefore, that some practical means be provided to hold the pin I 3 in its locked position of rotation until it is desired that it bey manually released. For this purpose, I have pro,- vided the pin with handle I3 at its outer end,` and this, as seen best in` Fig. 6, has anextension or armV 2,6; which projects to that side of the pin that is opposite, the side containing the longitudinal channel, I 6. The, arm 26, by rotation of the handle through. an angle of 180 from its applying, position, will be engaged against a stop 28 that extends outwardly from the top end of the plate 20. Beneath the. stop, a definitely spaced interval, vis an inwardly yieldable latch button 30. designed; to project to the under side of thearm 21B.: when the` arm is against the stop, thus to hold. the handle against rotation and keepthepin inthis ylocked position.

Thelatch button, as seenin Figs. 4 and 5, is contained slidably in a socket or bore 35 in plate 20, and it has an outer end. portion of reduced diameter extended. out through` an opening in the plate. A shoulder on the button limits its outward movement and a coiled spring 36 held under compression within' the button and bore, urges the button. to its outwardly extended position.

Assumingthat the pin I3 has been applied and is in its locked position, as in Figs. 3 vand 4, to release it for withdrawal from the tubular hub of` the swing frame, it is only required that the button. 3l)y be depressed to free the arm'26 so that the handle may be rotated back through the arc indicated in Fig. 1, thereby to again bring the channel. I6 intoalinement with the retainer key 23thus permitting the pin to be withdraw-n, as seen in Eig. 2, to the extent permitted by the slot I6. The slot I6 extends sufficiently near the inner endof the pinthat it, can be entirely withdrawn from. thehub or axle of the roller-,but is retained in the hole I lll` inl plate 5. To entirely remove the pin, it is required that the latch plate be detached.

While I have shown this Vlatch device as applied to a pin for a specific purpose, it may-belikewise applied toshafts, keys or pins of variouskind` and used in many ways differentA from that herein shown, without departing from the-spirit of. the invention.

-The specialadvantages ofe this construction reside in the fact that. the pin may be easily-andA readily adjusted, andcanbe lockedin a xed position by-an easily, manually operated means.

Having thus described my invention, what Iy claim as new therein and.. desire. -to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a4 housing comprising rwalls` formedwith holes for mountingapin, or the like, alatch plate xed to the housing, akey. extended! lug extended outwardly from the plate, a pin slidably and rotatably tted in said holes and having a channel longitudinally thereof from near its inner end for travel of the said key therein in Withdrawal of the pin, and having a circumferential channel into which said longitudinal channl opens and into which said key will move upon fully inserting the pin and along which the key will move on rotation of the fully applied pin to lock it against withdrawal, a handle. member on the outer end o f the pin including a lateral extension designed to engage the said stop on rotation of the pin to locked position, and a yielding latch engageable with said extension to hold the pin against releasing rotation. A

l for mounting a pin, or the like, a plate xed to the housing, a key extended from the plate into the line of the holes, a stop lug extended outwardly from the plate, a pin slidably and rotatably ittodv in holes and: having a channel longitudinally thereof receiving said key for travel therealcprlg` in the adjustment of the key between itfithdrawn` and` fully applied positions, and having a circumterential channel intoy which said longitudinali channelY opens and intoA which said key willl be received on,y rotationA of the fully appliedpin, a handle member on the outer end of the pin formed with a, lateral extension designed toeneaeethe Seidl Stop'on rotation of the fully. appliedpin to locked-position@ socket in the said platespaced from the` said stop. a latch button mounted in said socket, and a. spring acting against said buttonto urge it outwardly, whereby to engage the said, handle extension and retain itagainst the, stop= to prevent release rotation of thev pin.

3. a device ot the' character described, a sheave housingY corriprisirig4 opposite side walls, a sheave wheel in saidv housing, a cable passed over the sheaye, and aA guidel roller mounted in the housingy to-y retain the cable on thev sheave.;4 said roller hai/.ina a tubulares-1e, asv/ine frame pivotodi at' one eodf in;A the housing. and. mounting the Sault axle; at its: othonends; said; housing havngaligned` openingsjn its sidewallswith which the Said. tubular agde. willL be alinea when ythe guide roller is, in position, and a pin removably,l applied through said housing openingsy and throughthetubularaxle. to retain, the roller in place 4. A, device asinclaim. BxwhereinV a keyv projects from one housing-wall intothe line ofsthe piny opening therein, and the. pinislongitudinally slidable and rotatably fitted in thelopenings andaxle for endwise adjustment-and is formed with a longitudinal channel containing the key for travel, therealong in. its.. longitudinal` adjustment between releasinglandfnlly appliedapositions, and:

hasetcircumferentialxchannel f to ,which the longitudinal channeli opens 1 andx into which, said; key will move on fullyapplying.: the`v piu,V andy into whichdt.r willmovebn;` rotation of the pin to lock it againstzwithdrawfl, anda latch deviceffor holdingA the pin aga-insti. rotationl when in locked position.. Y l

5r. In a fairleader; of :thecharacten described, a

ing over; said'zsheave, aswingframeinthe housing.V Divotally.. mounted t atl one. endI and adapted. toswing at itsY outerfend-.fromand toward thecablesheave, aJtubulanhub-mounted-on the .frame and: ay cable retaining. roller -ont said'. hub; saidf fromhthe plateintotheline .oftheA holes. astonz 7.5;; housing, walls,I having hoiesothereinlwitn which.

the tubular hub is alined when the roller is inv cable retaining position, and a pin extended through the holes of the housing and the tubular hub; said pin having a longitudinal channel and a circumferential channel into which said longitudinal channel opens at one end, a key fitted to a Wall of the housing and received in the longitudinal channel for Withdrawal of the pin and received in the circumferential channel on rota- 

